An example wireless network may include a wireless access point (WAP) that defines a wireless coverage area in which wireless communication devices (WCDs) such as cell phones, tablet computers, tracking devices, embedded wireless modules, and other wirelessly equipped communication devices, can operate. In turn, such a WAP may be coupled with network infrastructure that provides connectivity to a packet-switched network, such as the public switched telephone network (PSTN) and/or the Internet for instance. In practice, the WAP may assign an Internet Protocol (IP) address to the WCD to facilitate such wireless packet-data communication. With this arrangement, a WCD within coverage of the WAP may engage in air interface communication with the WAP and may thereby communicate via the WAP with various remote network entities or with other WCDs. In general, the wireless access network may operate in accordance with a particular radio access technology or “air interface protocol,” such as various Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) protocols (e.g., IEEE 802.11 (WiFi) protocols), among others.
Such connectivity to a packet-switched network may facilitate communication services such as voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) based call connections, and other packet-based real-time media services (e.g., video sessions, etc.). Typically, an example WAP would support industry standard packet-based signaling and bearer communication protocols, such as Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) signaling, Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) bearer communication, and or Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) messages, for instance.
As WCDs are typically mobile, it has become standard practice to provide location-based services keyed to WCD location. To engage in these services, a WCD may report its location to a location-based service provider (LBSP) to enable the LBSP to provide a location based service based on the provided location. Examples of such services take various forms, including, without limitation, providing navigation guidance and information about points of interest, tracking packages or other objects, locating lost or stolen WCDs, and providing emergency response service (e.g., 911 call routing and dispatching of emergency personnel). In one example, when a WCD is being served by a WAP, the WCD may report to a LBSP as the WCD's location a representative location of the WAP. Such a location may be a street address, geographic coordinates of the WAP, or some other information indicative of location. In such an example, when the WCD requests the location-based service from the LBSP, the WCD reports the representative location of the WAP as the WCD's location, and the LBSP takes action (e.g., providing information, dispatching assistance, etc.) based on that location.